Summary The Domiciliary Medical Support Assistant directs the operation of the Domiciliary living unit by providing direct Veteran care and administrative support to Domiciliary Veterans. Assures Veteran compliance with medical center and Domiciliary program policies and procedures and with health, safety, and sanitation as they pertain to living quarters, treatment areas, dayrooms, etc. The incumbent must utilize great flexibility and responsiveness in functioning in a variety of roles. Responsibilities VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties include but are not limited to: Processes and orients patients upon admission to assist with their adaptation to residential community living. Files medical records and administrative documents accurately. Schedules ancillary service appointments. Processes patient authorized absences according to program procedures. Documents patient behaviors and incidents in the appropriate timeframe according to guidance. Completes independently the electronic "Incident Reporting" document in VISTA. Orders and cancels patient meals. Communicates effectively with Veterans, families, and staff in the domiciliary setting by using age-appropriate language and interactions. Maintains a clear, pleasant, respectful, and understandable tone and speaking pace, adjusting volume and communication style to meet individual needs and circumstances. Processes patient admissions/discharges/transfers, electronically enters diet orders, organizes medical chart assembly and removal of doctor's orders from the medical record, makes appointments, coordinates consults, and referrals. Observes the use of program facilities and furnishings for appropriate and scheduled usage. Performs patient dining room duties of food cart management, tray distribution and cleanup. Prepares and submits daily patient activity and bed-census audio-taped reports. Monitors program-unit security procedures as outlined and maintained in program management guides. Verbalizes appropriate problem solving methods and intervention techniques necessary for the diffusion of potentially volatile situations. Initiates a "Missing, Incapacitated Resident/Patient Reaction" incident report accurately. Completes proper procedures for conducting and recording daily positive and negative controls, per the Ancillary Testing Manual, prior to completing screening procedures. Practices infection control practices and proper techniques, in accordance with the Ancillary Testing Manual criteria, for securing and maintaining the integrity of the urine specimen, performing screening procedures and preparing the necessary documents for submission of the specimen for confirmation testing. Records screening results properly in the program logbook and entered into the VISTA lab menu. Communicates clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Demonstrates patience, tact, perseverance, and self-control in dealing with patients, families, and other medical center personnel Handles difficult patient interactions using established communication and de-escalation techniques. Manages patient records and program documents responsibly while maintaing reasonable security provisions to minimize unauthorized access. Answers telephone calls appropriately. Assists co-workers as needed. Addresses customers respectfully while maintaining a manner of confidentiality Maintains working knowledge of applicable VA Central Office policy, JCAHO, CARF and OIG requirements as they related to the DRRTP Utilizes great flexibility and responsiveness in functioning in a variety of roles. Exercises a high degree of originality and resourcefulness in his/her guidance and assistance with directing treatment activities to the treatment teams within the DRRTP Possesses a well-rounded knowledge of the variety of therapeutic and rehabilitative services and experiences available and give particular attention to the individual background, strengths, needs, abilities and preferences of the physically or psychologically handicapped Veterans, and subsequently provide effective information to the treatment team in the selection of the best possible activities available to meet that individual's daily living and/or planned rehabilitation program needs Consults with the DRRTP Chief on all significant programmatic and administrative issues, operations and problems. Work Schedule: Rotating night shifts 12:00am - 10:00am; consisting of 4-10 hour shifts with three (3) consecutive days off. Compressed: Available. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience: None. Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Licensure/Certification/Registration: None. Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant, GS-5: In addition to the basic requirements, you must meet the grade requirement: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR, Education: Two years of education above high school; AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. Preferred Experience: None. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
